Rate My Professor May Mei

Professor May Mei is Professor in Cariology in the Faculty of Dentistry’s Department of Oral Rehabilitation at the University of Otago. She earned her Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) and Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) from Sichuan University in China, followed by a PhD from the University of Otago. In her teaching roles, she serves as Deputy Convenor (Early Learning) of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme, coordinates Cariology modules for BDS years 2 and 3, and leads undergraduate instruction in cariology and restorative dentistry. Her clinical expertise lies in restorative dentistry.

Professor Mei’s research centers on cariology and biomaterials, particularly investigating the effects of silver diamine fluoride on mineralized tissues, collagen, and biofilms, and developing innovative bioactive materials to prevent and arrest dental caries. With over 100 publications and a Scopus h-index of 40, she ranks among the Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% of scientists worldwide. Notable publications include “The effects of strontium-doped bioactive glass and fluoride on hydroxyapatite crystallization” (Journal of Dentistry, 2021), recipient of the Sir John Walsh Research Institute Research Publication of the Year award in 2022; “Discovery, biological evaluations, and modified applications of peptide AVHS derived from dental plaque biofilms” (Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2025); “A scoping review of hydroxyapatite-modified glass ionomer cements used for restorative dentistry” (Journal of Dentistry, 2025); and “Effect of NaOCl or EDTA pretreatments on the shear bond strength of the resin-infiltrated white spot lesions to the resin composite” (BMC Oral Health, 2025). She has successfully supervised seven PhD students. Professor Mei contributes editorially as Associate Editor for Archives of Oral Biology and Frontiers in Oral Health, and on the boards of Journal of Dentistry and Dentistry Journal. Her accolades include the IADR-ANZ Oral Biology Award, IADR Centennial Emerging Leaders Award, IADR Basil G. Bibby Young Investigator Award, and leadership roles such as President of the IADR Cariology Research Group (2023-2024), Secretary of IADR-ANZ Division (2022-2025), and Treasurer of IADR-APR Region (2024). In October 2025, she presented her Inaugural Professorial Lecture, “From prevention to arrest: A silver bullet for dental caries management.”